GBTA Unveils Media Day Line-Up for GBTA Convention 2019
Alexandria, VA - On Sunday, August 4 starting at 9am, Media Day is back for its fifth year and will return once again to the GBTA Broadcast Studio at GBTA Convention 2019. Nearly 30 companies will release their breaking news as part of the event from the GBTA Broadcast Studio in the Grand Concourse of Chicago's McCormick Place.
The business of travel has brought the world within reach, with borders blurring and people intersecting in all corners of the globe. The momentum never stops as the business travel industry is evolving at an unprecedented rate. New technologies have emerged, transforming the face of the global travel program. New security risks have surfaced, which have proven to threaten the industry on a worldwide scale. In the face of all this, companies are constantly innovating to meet the changing needs of the industry.
Travel industry expert and GBTA Media Day anchor Monisa Cline will interview company executives in one-on-one live, on-camera interviews about their new products and announcements.
Press will have the opportunity to ask each participant questions following their interviews and at the end of each hour of programming or can also arrange one-on-one follow up interviews throughout the week. Reporters who cannot make it in person can tune in via convention.gbta.org or our Facebook Live stream!
Reporters may RSVP for Media Day by emailing Colleen Gallagher.
Media registration for the Convention is complimentary and available online - Media Day is included within your Convention registration.
This year's full Media Day schedule is as follows:
9-10AM
- PredictX - Simon Carmouche, Director of Product
- TripActions - Ariel Cohen, CEO & Co-Founder; Ilan Twig, CTO & Co-Founder
- SAP Concur - Ralph Colunga, Business Operations
- Uber - Michael Goodwin, Head of Business Development, Uber for Business
- Sabre - Traci Mercer, SVP, Lodging, Ground & Sea for Sabre Travel Network
- U.S. Bank - Tory Passons, VP, Group Product Manager Corporate Payment Partnerships
- Fox World Travel - Sam Hilgendorf, Chief Information Officer
10-11AM
- Dinova - Alison Galik, President
- Airlines Reporting Corporation - Chuck Thackston, Managing Director, Data Science and ResearchAmerican Express Global Business Travel - Michelle Dyer, Vice President, Risk & Compliance
- Conferma - Kelly Cleeton, Director of Business Development
- Sleepbox - Mikhail Krymov, Co-founder, CEO
- Yapta - Valerie Layman, Chief Product and Services Officer
- Timeshifter - Mickey Beyer-Clausen, Co-founder & CEO
11AM-12PM
- Alaska Airlines - David Oppenheim, Vice President, Sales
- RoomIt by CWT - Peggy Studer, Vice President, Marketing
- TRIPBAM, Inc. - Steve Reynolds, Founder & CEO
- Deem - John F. Rizzo, CEO, President
- Riskline - Suzanne Sangiovese, Operations Manager - Americas
12-1PM
- Delta Air Lines - Bob Somers, Sr. Vice President - Global Sales
- Bridgestreet - Claire Barrie, Vice President of Sales
- WWStay - Rajeev Goswami, Co-Founder & CEO
- Data Art - Greg Abbott, SVP, Travel & Hospitality
- Ground Link - Liz Carisone, CEO
- Southwest - Dave Harvey, Vice President, Corporate Sales
- Lyft - TBD
Held at the McCormick Place in Chicago, GBTA Convention 2019 will bring together over 7,000 business travel professionals from more than 50 countries across the globe. It will feature world-class keynote speakers, more than 175 industry-leading education sessions, the largest business travel expo floor, a wide selection of professional development opportunities and much more, providing attendees the opportunity for professional development and to get business done.
Attendee registration remains open. More info on programs and speakers will be unveiled throughout the coming weeks. For the latest developments and more information, please visit gbta.org/convention.
About the Global Business Travel Association
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA's members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA delivers world-class education, events, research, advocacy, and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts.
About the GBTA Foundation
The mission of the GBTA Foundation, the US 501c3 charitable arm of GBTA, is to help the global business travel industry create a positive impact and a better future for people and the planet. The GBTA Foundation focuses on the strategy and execution of GBTA's global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action; diversity, equity and inclusion; and other talent-related topics via education, research and advocacy.
